# Pagoda

Ta Cu Mountain: Binh Thuan's Reclining Buddha Above the Jungle

Thirty kilometers south of Phan Thiet, Ta Cu mountain hides a mountaintop monastery and a 49-meter reclining Buddha that most visitors to Mui Ne never bother to visit.

Jun 26, 20265 min readcentral

Bich Dong Pagoda: Climbing the Three-Tiered Cave Temple Above Tam Coc

Bich Dong is not just a pagoda — it's three separate temples stacked into a karst cliff, connected by steep stone stairs and a cave you walk through to reach the top.

Jun 15, 20264 min readnorth

A woman browses items at a bustling Hanoi market during Lunar New Year celebrations.

Itineraries

Vietnam Over Tet: A 10-Day Trip That Uses the Closures Wisely

Tet shuts down half the country — but plan around it right and you get flower markets, empty beaches, and pagodas full of incense smoke and zero tour groups.

May 30, 20265 min readall

A scenic view of Turtle Tower on Hoan Kiem Lake surrounded by lush greenery in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Vietnamese Temple Etiquette: Dress, Incense, and What Not to Photograph

Vietnam's pagodas and temples are active places of worship, not backdrops. Here's how to behave inside without causing offence or embarrassing yourself.

May 30, 20265 min readall

Buddhist statues adorned with offerings at Nom Pagoda, Hung Yen, Vietnam, showcasing traditional spiritual practices.

Vietnamese Temple Etiquette: What to Wear, What to Do, What Not to Photograph

Visiting temples and pagodas in Vietnam without knowing the basics is a fast way to cause offence. Here is what actually matters, from dress to incense to camera use.

May 30, 20264 min readall

Delicious Asian noodle soup with vibrant garnishes captured in a close-up shot.

Vu Lan Vegetarian Food: What Vietnam Eats During Ghost Month

Every year during the seventh lunar month, Vietnam's pagodas fill with vegetarian feasts and ancestor offerings. Here's what's actually on the table.

May 26, 20265 min readall

Beautiful temple courtyard featuring traditional architecture and potted plants under a clear sky.

Hanoi Pagoda Food: Where to Eat Real Buddhist Vegetarian Cuisine

Hanoi's Buddhist vegetarian tradition goes far deeper than tofu salads — here's where to find it, what to order, and how the mock-meat logic actually works.

May 26, 20265 min readnorth

Two farmers tending to rice fields under bright sunlight, highlighting rural agricultural life.

Am Tien Nua, Thanh Hoa: A Traveler's Guide

A practical guide to Am Tien Nua in Thanh Hoa — a clifftop cave pagoda complex on Nua Mountain with centuries of history and surprisingly few tourists.

May 25, 20267 min readcentral

Tam Coc and Bich Dong: the Quieter Side of Ninh Binh

Trang An gets the tour buses; Tam Coc and Bich Dong get the slower afternoon light. Here's what to expect from Ninh Binh's smaller, older boat-tour cluster.

Jun 26, 20264 min readnorth

Ta Cu Mountain: Binh Thuan's Reclining Buddha Above the Jungle

Thirty kilometers south of Phan Thiet, Ta Cu mountain hides a mountaintop monastery and a 49-meter reclining Buddha that most visitors to Mui Ne never bother to visit.

Jun 26, 20265 min readcentral

Bich Dong Pagoda: Climbing the Three-Tiered Cave Temple Above Tam Coc

Bich Dong is not just a pagoda — it's three separate temples stacked into a karst cliff, connected by steep stone stairs and a cave you walk through to reach the top.

Jun 15, 20264 min readnorth

Itineraries

Vietnam Over Tet: A 10-Day Trip That Uses the Closures Wisely

Tet shuts down half the country — but plan around it right and you get flower markets, empty beaches, and pagodas full of incense smoke and zero tour groups.

May 30, 20265 min readall

Vietnamese Temple Etiquette: Dress, Incense, and What Not to Photograph

Vietnam's pagodas and temples are active places of worship, not backdrops. Here's how to behave inside without causing offence or embarrassing yourself.

May 30, 20265 min readall

Vietnamese Temple Etiquette: What to Wear, What to Do, What Not to Photograph

Visiting temples and pagodas in Vietnam without knowing the basics is a fast way to cause offence. Here is what actually matters, from dress to incense to camera use.

May 30, 20264 min readall

Vu Lan Vegetarian Food: What Vietnam Eats During Ghost Month

Every year during the seventh lunar month, Vietnam's pagodas fill with vegetarian feasts and ancestor offerings. Here's what's actually on the table.

May 26, 20265 min readall

Hanoi Pagoda Food: Where to Eat Real Buddhist Vegetarian Cuisine

Hanoi's Buddhist vegetarian tradition goes far deeper than tofu salads — here's where to find it, what to order, and how the mock-meat logic actually works.

May 26, 20265 min readnorth